The other day I ended up throwing out a pie pumpkin because I could barely cut it. It was like cutting rocks. I've never used one before so I don't know if that was typical or if mine was old. Maybe it is normally that hard and that's why most people buy canned pumpkin? I even sharpened by knife but still it was almost impossible. The acorn & butternut squash both cut like butter in comparison, so I don't think it was my knife. It was nothing like carving a Halloween pumpkin. I decide to quit before I ended up having an accident with the knife. Does anyone know if my experience was normal or if I had an old pumpkin? At this point, I will never attempt to use a pie pumpkin again. They're dead to me.

I don't dabble in vegan cooking as rule but decided to make this soup (more or less) when I discovered a sizable stash of mung beans in the pantry. I purchased them to sprout but my sprouting efforts were not particularly successful. Bulk bin dispensers being what they are, filling the bag quickly got away from me and I came home with a large bag of these little green bbs. Curried Mung Bean Soup 1 medium onion, chopped 1 large carrot, chopped 1 rib of celery, chopped 4 cloves of garlic, minced 1 serrano, minced 1 tsp. cumin 1/2 tsp. turmeric 1/2 tsp. coriander 2 tbsp. tomato paste 1 cup dried mung beans 4 cups vegetable broth salt to taste 1/4 tsp. garam masala 1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice 1. In a thin laryer of water, saute the onion, celery, and carrot until they are just starting to get soft. Add in the garlic and serrano. If mixture starts to stick, add some more water. 2. Add in spices and the tomato paste. Stir constantly and let the spices cook for a few minutes. The vegetables in step #1 should be coated with the spice/tomato paste mixture. 3. Add in mung beans and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, cover, and lower to a simmer. Let cook for 45 min., or until mung beans are cooked. 4. I like my soups to be thick and blended, so I used an immersion blender to blend approximately half of the soup. If you don't have an immersion blender, just add half of the soup to a regular blender, blend, and then add it back to the pot. Feel free to skip this step, it's a texture-preference. 5. Taste the soup and add salt to taste. Add in lemon juice and garam masala. MY CHANGES: I doubled the recipe. I added a small can of coconut milk, also a pantry find, and 3 teaspoons of curry powder. I added 2 pods of ground cardamom and 1/2 cup of chopped bell peppers. I reduced the serrano amount to a hint of serrano. A whole is too much heat for me. I didn't have vegetable broth and just used water. I used a small amount of olive oil to saute the vegetables. I also soaked them in water overnight in the refrigerator before cooking them - a step not mentioned in the recipe. I was pleased with the result. I definitely prefer mung beans to lentils. Eileen Here is a link that might be useful: Curried mung bean soup.

Roasted green beans or asparagus, with or without lots of garlic. And fresh spinach, sauteed with a little butter and some balsamic vinegar. This is a long-time favorite... * Exported from MasterCook * Broccoli or Cauliflower Morsels Recipe By : Katie Serving Size : Preparation Time :0:00 Categories : Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- 2 eggs 2 cups blanched broccoli -- chopped fine 1 1/2 cups fresh bread crumbs 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (or use Swiss or Parmesan) salt and pepper 2 cloves garlic -- minced 1/3 cup vegetable oil Beat eggs and combine with everything but oil. Form into 1"-1 1/2" balls. Cook in oil until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. from Victory Garden Cookbook - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - NOTES : Good as a side dish, or make smaller for appetizers.

You can't go wrong with any dish with potatoes or cabbage in my opinion. Here are a few of my favorite recipes: Comments on Spinach Madeleine are made by Chef John Folse Spinach Madeleine Yields: 5-6 Servings This traditional Louisiana recipe was first presented in River Road's cookbook from the Junior League of Baton Rouge. It is safe to say that this single recipe made the book world famous. In the late 1990s, Kraft foods did away with their jalapeño cheese roll which was originally used in the recipe. Recently, an alert customer informed us that Kraft's Velveeta line introduced a similar Mexican cheese. 2 packages chopped spinach, frozen 4 tbsps butter 2 tbsps flour 2 tbsps chopped onions ½ cup evaporated milk ½ cup reserved spinach liquor ½ tsp black pepper ¾ tsp celery salt ¾ tsp garlic salt 6 ounces Velveeta Mexican cheese, sliced into ¼-inch cubes salt and red pepper to taste 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce Cook spinach according to directions on package. Drain and reserve liquid. In a medium saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Add flour, stirring until blended and smooth, but not brown. Add onions and sauté 3-5 minutes or until wilted. Add evaporated milk, spinach liquor and Worcestershire sauce slowly, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Cook mixture until smooth and thick, stirring constantly. Add seasonings and cubed cheese. Stir until melted and combine with cooked spinach. This may be served immediately or put into a casserole and topped with buttered bread crumbs. The flavor is improved if the latter is done and kept in refrigerator overnight. --------------------------------------------------------- This one is from Ina Garten and very plain, the browning is what kicks it up a notch from steamed cabbage. Sauteed Cabbage 1 small head white cabbage, including outer green leaves (2 1/2 pounds) 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper Cut the cabbage in half and, with the cut-side down, slice it as thinly as possible around the core, as though you were making coleslaw. Discard the core. Melt the butter in a large saute pan or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the cabbage, salt, and pepper and saute for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage is tender and begins to brown. Season, to taste, and serve warm. ---------------------------------------------------------- by Sara Moulton Vegetable Ribbons with Horseradish Lemon Butter 2 carrots, peeled 2 small zucchini,scrubbed 2 small yellow summer squash, washed well 2 Tbsp unsalted butter 1 tsp drained bottled horseradish 2 tsp fresh lemon juice salt and pepper to taste With a vegetable peeler cut the carrots, the zucchini, and the yellow squash length-wise into "ribbons" with a vegetable peeler, reserving the center core for another use. In a heavy skillet cook the vegetables in the butter over moderately high heat, stirring for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the vegetables are crisp-tender. Add thehorseradish, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste and toss the mixture well. Ready to serve ---------------------------------------------------------- This one is too artery clogging to have except on special ocassions. It is wonderful though. Gratin Dauphinois By Bobby Flay 3 cups heavy cream 6 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/8-inch thick slices (on mandoline or with a knife) Salt and freshly ground pepper 1 clove garlic, peeled and halved 1 cup grated Gruyere 2 tablespoons chopped chives, optional Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Bring 2 cups of the heavy cream to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Add the potatoes, salt and pepper and cook for 3 minutes. Rub the cut side of the garlic clove on the bottom and sides of an 8-inch casserole or baking dish. Add the potatoes and cream and top with the remaining cream and Gruyere cheese. Sprinkle chives over top, if using. Bake on a baking sheet until potatoes are tender and cheese is golden brown and bubbly, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest 10 minutes before serving. ---------------------------------------------------------- Orange-Glazed Carrots and Onions 1 1/2 cups thinly sliced onion 1 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce 1 pound baby carrots 1 garlic clove, minced 2 tablespoons orange marmalade 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper Combine the first 5 ingredients in a medium saucepan; bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cover and simmer 10 minutes or until onion is tender. Stir in marmalade, salt, and pepper. Cook, uncovered, 30 minutes or until liquid is reduced to 1/4 cup (about 30 minutes), stirring frequently. Nutritional Information Calories:63 (7% from fat) Fat:0.5g (sat 0.1g,mono 0.0g,poly 0.2g) Protein:1.8g Carbohydrate:13.9g Fiber:2g Cholesterol:0.0mg Iron:0.8mg Sodium:381mg Calcium:28mg Cooking Light, DECEMBER 2003